Safe Snack

Peanut, Tree Nut, & Sesame Restricted Zones

Did you know that 1 in 13 kids in the United States has a food allergy? That is approximately 2 students per classroom. For children with food allergies, even a tiny amount of the food they are allergic to can make them very sick. The most common food allergies are to milk, egg, peanuts, tree nut (I.E. - walnuts, almonds), soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish. Another fast growing allergen in children is sesame.

To protect our students, Ferndale Early Childhood Center and Ferndale Lower & Upper Elementary buildings are peanut-, tree nut-, and sesame-free. The following resources are to help all of our parents and students navigate this sensitive, but vitally important issue.

These are the primary allergens to look for on food products:

  • Sesame Seeds

  • Peanuts

  • All Tree Nuts, including, but not limited to the following common ones: 

    • Almonds

    • Beechnuts

    • Brazil nuts

    • Bush nuts

    • Butternuts

    • Cashews

    • Chestnuts

    • Filberts

    • Ginko nuts

    • Hazelnuts

    • Hickory nuts

    • Lichee nuts

    • Macadamia nuts

    • Nangai nuts

    • Pecans

    • Pine nuts

    • Pistachios

    • Shea nuts

    • Walnuts

  • Sesame oil

  • Peanut oil or other nut oils

  • almond milk, cashew milk, or other nut milks

  • Bread Crumbs

    • This common ingredient almost always contains sesame.

Alternate Names

Although sesame has about 20 or 30 alternate names, we have come across this short list as ingredients on products.

  • Tahini/Tahina/Tehina (crushed sesame)

  • Gomasio (sesame salt)

  • Sesame Flour

  • Black Sesame Seeds

  • Halva/Halvah (dense, Middle Eastern confection often made from sesame or nut flour)

Good To Go

  • Vegetables

  • Fresh Fruit

  • Raisins

Please Read & Verify Labels

You MUST check labels as even some of our most trusted brands change manufacturing facilities, etc.

  • All Popcorn, Skinny Pop

  • Kettle Brand – Sea Salt

  • Kettle Brand Bakes – Sea Salt, Aged White Cheddar, Sea Salt & Vinegar

  • Lay’s – Classic, Sour Cream & Onion, Lightly Salted, Cheddar & Sour Cream, Wavy Original, Salt & Vinegar,

  • Lay’s Kettle Cooked – Original, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Reduced Fat, Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper

  • Munchos

  • Mystic Kettle Potato Chips – Regular, Reduced Fat, Dark Russet, Sea Salt & Vinegar

  • Natural Lay’s – Sea Salted

  • Better Made – All Products

  • Pop Tarts

  • NutriGrain Cereal Bars

  • Cheese Sticks

  • Goldfish Crackers-Pepperidge Farm

  • Applesauce - Go Go Squeeze, Mott’s, Musselman’s and Earth’s BestGo-gurt

  • Honey Graham Crackers

  • Pretzels - Rold Gold or Snyder Brands

  • Annie’s Brand - All Varieties

  • Enjoy Life Brand - All Varieties

  • Cheez-its

  • Veggie Straws

  • Aldi Animal Crackers

  • Sunbutter Products & Wow Butter

  • Free2B Brand - All Products

  • Nabisco - Plain Ritz Crackers

  • Ruffles - Original

  • Pringles - Original & Reduced Fat

  • Frito Lay - Plain Fritos

  • Freedom Food Cereals - Rice Puffs, Ancient grain Flakes, Cocoa Crunch, Corn Flakes, Maple Crunch, Rice Flakes and Tropic O’s

  • Kelloggs Cereals - Apple Jacks, Fruit Loops

  • General Mills Cereals - Cheerios (plain or multigrain)

  • Mott's Fruit Snacks

  • Oreos

Must NOT Be Brought to School

This is not an exhaustive list of unsafe items. On the back of food packaging you will find a food label. Please check the label. Any label that states, “May contain...” and/or “Is manufactured in a facility that produces peanut/tree nut/sesame” is NOT safe.

  • Nut Spreads, like hazelnut spread (Nutella), peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc.

  • Nut Milks, like almond milk, cashew milk, etc.

  • Tahini

  • Hummus

  • Bread with seeds (hamburger buns, multi-grain and sub buns with seeds)

  • Bagels

  • Bagel Chips

  • Melba toast

  • Whole Nuts